New Annual, Newcastle’s flagship arts and cultural festival, is back with 10 huge days of events from September 22 until October 1.

It’s the ideal chance to be a tourist in your own city, rediscovering the city’s art galleries, theatres, streets, and parks which are set to come alive in a celebration of art, music, and performance.

Don’t know what to see first? Check out some of New Annual’s program highlights to get you started.

What Will Have Been: September 22 - 23 

Christ Church Cathedral will play host to What Will Have Been, a contemporary circus show by Brisbane-based company Circa.

Three skilled circus artists and one violinist mesmerise in this boundary-pushing production that fuses the music of Bach and Philip Glass with electronica.

Prepare to be captivated by the artists’ movements – you’ll repeatedly catch yourself thinking, ‘But how do they do that with their body?’

As emotional as it is mystifying, What Will Have Been is sure to move you. Performances in the grand Christ Church Cathedral don’t come along all too often – tickets are on sale now, so don’t miss out.

Club Surat: September 22 

Internationally-renowned photographer Atong Atem is presenting her self-titled video and photographic portraiture exhibition as part of this year’s New Annual. To celebrate its opening, City Hall’s Banquet Room is turning into Club Surat, a dance hall of Afro-jazz and hip-hop.

Artists Glo and Pookie will be turning it up for Club Surat. Based in Sydney, Glo is a neo soul and alternative R&B singer-songwriter and movement artist, who has shared the stage with Solange at the Opera House and supported Desire Marea at this year’s VIVID. Perth-based Pookie is a producer, songwriter, DJ, composer, and MC, who has toured with Denzel Curry, Eliza Rose, and Fatboy Slim. 

Both artists are taking the music world by storm – don’t miss them at this late night after party.

Rhapsody: September 22 & 23 

Presented by Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub, Rhapsody is a radical new dance work set performed in the most unexpected of places – the fifth level of a Newcastle West car park.

Rhapsody is performed by two duos of different gender identities, back-to-back, so viewers can experience the work twice, but from varying perspectives.

It’s an exciting take on the usual theatrics of a dance performance. Catch Rhapsody. 

Photo credit: Paul Dear

This Land: September 29

This Land is a free musical festival happening at Newcastle Museum Park honouring First Nations artists and their profound connection to the land.

The exceptional lineup features Becca Hatch, DENNI, Maanyung, Blanche, Jacob Ridgeway, and Daisy Chain Duo. Hosted by City of Newcastle and the Wollotuka Institute at The University of Newcastle, join in celebrating the rich heritage and vibrant voices of the many nations of this land.

Spewy: September 27 - 30 

If you’re a Newcastle local, you’ll love seeing Newy represented on the stage as part of Ang Collins’ Spewy, showing at Earp Distillery.

It’s an unlikely love story set right here in Newcastle that grapples with a complicated relationship between Al and Nic, and their shared hometown. 

Voices of Joan: September 27 - October 1

Voices Of Joan by Janie Gibson is a solo performance unravelling the history of misogyny through a retelling of Joan of Arc, happening at New Lambton Community centre. 

Janie channels the many voices of Joan of Arc in this look back at the past that helps pave a road map for the present.

For the full list of events and things to do, visit the New Annual website.